Cane-fields to be converted into roadway

Aug 07, 2011 News

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East Bank four-lane…

-no more Diamond high bridge

Designs for the East Bank Demerara four-lane road continuation from Providence to Diamond/ Grove on the East Bank of Demerara have been completed with the tenders currently being evaluated.
According to Rabindranauth Chandarpal, Chief Transport Planning Officer of the Ministry of Public Works, the four-lane expansion will continue from south of the National Stadium, Providence to the current entrance of the Diamond/ Grove Housing Scheme.
The project includes the leveling of the Diamond ‘high bridge’; cane fields being converted into the two-lane road, sound-proofing of the Providence Magistrate Court and the installation of road safety features like sidewalks and road signs.
Chandarpal noted that the project duration is 18 months after the contract is signed. The actual construction works are to be executed in three lots, and will be done simultaneously.

The first entails the widening of the existing road corridor from Providence to the Guyana Water Incorporated facility in Covent Garden. The length of this stretch is 2.5 kilometers (km). When this phase is completed, two bridges at Herstelling and Farm and three culverts will be widened.
In this section, the eastern side of the road will be widened, an embankment would be erected and each lane will measure 3.3 metres, Chandarpal stated.
He emphasized that on the eastern section, starting at Providence, there are trenches which will be partially filled to allow the two-lane road construction, and wick drain technology will be employed.
Wick drain is an artificial drainage path, consisting of a central plastic core, which functions as a free-drainage water channel, surrounded by a thin geo-synthesis filter jacket. This technology was utilized during the construction of the approach roads to the Berbice River Bridge.
Chandarpal explained that to replace the drainage capacity of that stretch, the drains will have to be deepened and concrete drains will be constructed.
The official explained that in this first lot, while the road on the Providence embankment is being constructed, the existing road will remain untouched and vehicles will continue to traverse as normal. After the two-lane road on the Providence embankment is completed, the existing road will then be rehabilitated.
The second lot of the project involves constructing a two-lane road through the cane fields and joining the newly constructed road to the existing East Bank Demerara Public Road at Prospect and Diamond, north of the Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL). The two roads will be separated by the existing trench and pedestrian foot bridges will be placed at convenient points linking both roads.
Chandarpal explained that it was necessary to build the road behind the trench because it would have required considerable amount of material, time, and a new drainage system would have had to be built to replace the loss drainage capacity had a decision to fill the current trench been taken.
Chandarpal stressed that the current corridor will remain as it is but it will be utilized as two lanes heading from Timehri to Georgetown. After completion, the two eastern lanes adjoining the road and behind the trench will be used by commuters heading from Georgetown to Timehri.
“If you are coming from Georgetown with a minibus and need to get on the western side (where most of the communities are) there will be four pedestrian bridges. However, if traversing with a vehicle and you need to get on the western side you are required to drive to where the roads connect, make a U-turn,” Chandarpal stated.
It was noted that this setup is similar to the East Coast Demerara between Conversation Tree and UG Roads and UG and Ogle.
The last lot will start at Great Diamond, on the existing road and end at the entrance of the Diamond/ Grove Housing Scheme, by the traffic lights. This existing corridor at Great Diamond is very wide so it will remain as it is, Chandarpal stated.
He added that the two existing lanes will accommodate vehicles heading to Georgetown while vehicles heading to Timehri will utilized the two new lanes that will be constructed to the east.
Chandarpal disclosed that the existing ‘high bridge’ will be demolished and a new “flat” four-lane bridge will be constructed at the same level as the existing road.
Meanwhile, regarding the construction of another entrance to the Diamond Housing Scheme, the engineer said that a decision has been taken to have it located between DDL and the GuyOil Service Station, and connected to the first street in Diamond. There are lands already available and earmarked for this.
The plan is to also remove the current car park and build a multi-purpose tarmac near this second entrance. It would be used as a car park and allow for vending.
An integral component of this project is the management of traffic during the construction.
According to Chandarpal, the East Bank Public Road is one of the busiest in the country and the idea is to keep congestion at a minimum. The plan is to construct the new two-lanes before upgrading the existing ones.
In addition, the contractor is expected to transport building materials and large equipment late at nights to avoid unnecessary traffic build-up during the day.
The contractor is also required to build by-pass lanes where necessary for the smooth flow of traffic. The contractor will have to setup construction yards to store materials and equipment.
According to Chandarpal, after the contract is signed, the Ministry, the contractor and relevant Court authorities will meet and decide upon the sound-proofing of the Providence Magistrate Court.
The new road will also see the construction of pedestrian and bicycle paths and parking. There will also be the mandatory erection of road signs.

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